Fairytales of Ohio
by margoleadbetter
Summary: A Joy/Victoria music player shuffling experience.


**Shuffle Challenge Rules: **  
><em>1. Pick a fandomcouple/crossover you like._  
><em> on your music player and put it on random (aka: shuffle).<em>  
><em> a drabble related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to finish the drabble; you start when the song starts, and stop when it ends.<em>  
><em>4. No lingering afterwards. No cheating.<em>  
><em>5. Do 10 of these and post them.<em>

**Fandom:**_ Hot in Cleveland  
><em>**Pairing:** Joy/Victoria

**Disclaimer: I don't own _Hot in Cleveland_, or any of these snazzy songs. The lovely Sarah-Celine gave me permission to do this for the same pairing as she had done. And, some of these came out really strangely and I wanted to edit them but rules are rules, so there you go.**

**1. _Fairytale of New York_ - The Pogues ft. Kirsty MacColl**

Joy downed what felt like her hundredth drink, wondering how long it would take for her to pass out. Fucking hell, she was pissed. She barely even knew what day it was any longer. Victoria sat across the bar, pointedly ignoring her. At least, she thought that was what she was doing. It was a wonder she hadn't killed her yet. It'd certainly solve a lot of her problems. If they were speaking right now, she knew what she'd say.

"I think you've had enough, Joy." Screw that. She was just getting started.

**2. _In Too Deep_ - Belinda Carlisle**

Victoria took Joy's hand, gently.

"Now, you listen to me, Joy Scroggs. I know what you're like with relationships. Don't go screwing this up."

Joy blanched, appalled. Pot, kettle?

"Me?" she demanded, "What about you? Five failed marriages and a string of no-good boyfriends? You're the one that needs not to screw it up. I just happen to be...unfortunate...in the area of..."

Victoria suppressed a smile, knowing her laughter would only annoy Joy even more.

"Alright, alright. We both need to work on it. But Joy...I'm trusting you. I'm so scared. I need you to believe in this."

Joy's righteous indignation melted under Victoria's steady gaze, and she felt her heartrate begin to race.

**3. _God Only Knows_ - the Beach Boys**

Joy's eyelids fluttered, as if in reaction to a dream. Victoria watched her silently, unable to God she had Joy. _Without her,_ she remembered the line from _In Her Shoes,_ _without her, I don't make sense._ But Rose had been talking about her sister. Joy was so much more than that.

**4. _Moving to New York_ - the Wombats**

Victoria stood outside the airport, still not knowing if she was making the right decision. Which was ridiculous, of course. This was an amazing opportunity. She'd been offered a part in a huge movie that was being filmed in New York. It was wonderful. The only thing was that it'd take her away from Cleveland for eleven months. Not that she'd care, it wasn't as if...Oregon? Illinois? Oh, wherever it was, it wasn't as if the state were especially important to her, it was just...well, she'd have to leave...her friends. There was Melanie, dear, sweet Melanie, and then good old Elka...and Joy. She'd lain awake all night thinking about it, actually._ She was leaving Joy._

**5. _I Won't Last a Day Without You_ - the Carpenters**

Joy tramped through the rain, feeling particularly got at, yet again. She seemed to spend her entire life feeling got at. Why was it that the whole world was determined to get one over on her? The one day she'd forgotten to bring her umbrella. What was it called? Situational irony. Fuck that shit. Feeling a tap at her shoulder, she swung around, ready to hit whoever it was with her bag, but then stopped, realising it was Victoria.

"Oh! It's you."_ Don't smile. Oh, you're so uncool. Don't smile._

Victoria half-ducked to avoid the bag, grinning at Joy's reaction. She nodded by way of response, and held out her own umbrella.

Joy sighed, relaxing. Victoria was here. It was all alright. _Victoria was here._

_**6. Christmas Wrapping**_** - the Waitresses**

Joy pulled another sweater over her head, not even bothering to care about what she looked like anymore. Holy hell, it was freezing. If one more person said "Happy Holidays" to her, she'd have to kill them.

"Happy Holidays!" called a voice, as if on cue. Damn, it was Victoria. She couldn't kill her. She just...couldn't. Oh well, fuck sticking to her commitments, she'd make that a New Year's resolution.

"Hello," she beamed, getting up to greet her friend, who wrapped her arms around her tightly. Breathing was overrated anyway. God, she'd missed her. They hadn't had the chance to spend much time together this year, for several, unrelated reasons, and it'd been hell. Oh, screw it, she might as well get it over with. Leading Victoria into the room, she stopped under some very half-heartedly strung up mistletoe. As she stopped, she fixed her with a steady look.

"I'm really glad you're here...Merry Christmas, Victoria." And with that, she leaned in to kiss her friend.

**7. _Please Mr. Postman_ - the Carpenters**

As the post fell onto the mat, Victoria leapt up from her place on the sofa. Sifting through the assorted bank statements and junkmail, she tossed it in the air in frustration when she realised that what she was looking for wasn't there.

"Stop!" she blurted. The postman didn't hear her, of course. He'd be halfway down the road by now. Throwing the door open, she ran out into the street. Oh, shit, he was miles away.

"WAIT A MINUTE!" she screamed, but her voice was lost in the wind, "THERE SHOULD BE..." oh, there was no point. He couldn't hear her, and she'd never catch up now. _There should be a letter from Joy._

**8. _The First Cut is the Deepest_ - Rod Stewart**

Joy nodded her head, wondering if the man sitting across from her really believed she was listening. The thing was, he was a wonderful man. Somehow, for the first time in her life, she'd found a genuinely decent man, and he adored her. And the amazing thing was that she adored him too. She just didn't...well. Oh, fuck. She should be the happiest woman in the world right now. Was she just fundamentally incapable of getting it right?

Then, quite unexpectedly and out of nowhere the cause (no, not the cause, she wasn't the cause. Joy wouldn't let her be the cause) of her discomfort walked into the bar, casual as you like. Oh, god.

"Joy!" Tactless as ever. Couldn't she see she was bloody busy?

Of course she couldn't. That was Victoria. _When it comes to being lucky she's cursed, when it comes to loving me, she's worst._ So Joy was trying to love someone else.

"Victoria." She allowed her cheek to be kissed.

**9. _Serious_ - Duffy**

"...and then she goes and falls out of the car!" Victoria finished, and the crowd burst into laughter at Joy's expense. Gritting her teeth, the eyebrow queen fought the urge to stab her new "wife" in the eye with her cocktail stick. Being Mrs. Victoria Chase certainly wasn't all it was cracked up to be. It'd been three days, and already she'd discovered that she hated Victoria with a passion. Well, no, that wasn't true. She couldn't hate Victoria. She just...she loved her, which made her hate her, because she was a ridiculous human being. All she'd done was use her in every way possible. If she wasn't a career booster, she was the butt of all the fucking jokes. She wished Victoria would stop joking for just a minute. Because she wanted to know...well, if there was anything behind it. Because, in all seriousness, she actually quite wanted to be Victoria's wife.

**10. _The Closest Thing to Crazy_ - Katie Melua**

Joy took hold of the mantlepiece as she watched Victoria walk away from her, unsure if she'd be able to stand up much longer. She'd felt so steady a second ago. How could she have let this happen? Oh, shit. She couldn't help it. She was behaving like a giddy teenager, and she knew that, and she couldn't stop. It was Victoria. She made her insane.

In the kitchen, Victoria leaned her head against the fridge, and closed her eyes. She'd done the right thing by walking away from Joy just then. Yes, she had done. But, oh, she wanted to be with her again. Oh, fuck, what was this? Why did she make her feel this way? It was no good. The pull was too strong. She'd have to go back to her. As she turned, she heard a voice say "Victoria." Joy stood in the doorway, looking desperate.


End file.
